Every Town Has a Story: Exploring Hamden

Channel 3 got "the scoop" at an ice cream shop in Hamden that has been in town for more than three decades.

Like any good reporter, Mark Zinni got to the bottom of this investigation.

As in, the bottom of the ice cream container.

Regina Banos is the owner of Wentworth Homemade Ice Cream on Whitney Avenue and people just can't get enough of the flavors she whips-up.

"In the summertime, people drool for the peach. Fresh peach ice cream, you can't get it too many places and it's pretty phenomenal and it's very difficult to make. In the fall it's pumpkin, pumpkin caramel cheesecake, gingerbread,” said Banos.

Banos has owned the business for 31 years and she's been scooping the competition ever since because she keeps it all-natural and always delicious.

"Hard core ice cream, that's what it is, absolutely. And people appreciate it, they come from all over and I mean all over, all over, so we're very lucky,” Banos said.

In fact, Phyllis Erwin is from Vermont! She was there to see her grandkids and every trip includes a stop at Wentworth.

"It’s local, it's homemade, it's not commercial. What more can you ask for,” said Erwin.

There’s one flavor you won't want to try. The K-9 crunch with a kibble mix is perfect for your pooch.

There’s not just good ice cream in Hamden!

From hot dogs to lobster rolls and onion rings, one legendary restaurant has been bringing people back for more since the 1950's.

Channel 3 got a look at what’s cooking behind the counter at the Glenwood Drive-In.

It’s a sizzle that's music to the ears of customers at the Glenwood Drive-In, where on any given day, you may also hear music!

The restaurant on Whitney Avenue has a rich history.

It’s a family-owned business for more than sixty years and these days, you'll find relatives of the original owner, Rocky Stone, running the show, including Rocky's grandson, Robbie, who remains loyal to the original menu.

"I mean between the lobster rolls and the hot dogs and the fried clams, you won't be disappointed! We're doing the same thing we did 20, 30, 40 years ago,” said Robbie Stone.

The Glenwood is a go-to destination for foodies from near and far, even though it has changed a bit over the years.

"It went from a little building to what you see today. The original building would be this one right over here,” Stone said.

"We love it here. We've been since he was a little guy, I was small, our children were here, we've just been coming here forever,” said Claudia Norman, a customer.

If you're in business this long, you're doing something right and they're still bringing in new customers every day!

"My daughter last night said, ‘daddy, can we have lobster rolls?’ I thought, you know, I’ll look and see where you can get lobster rolls around here,” said Josiah Rowe.

Hot lobster to hot dogs to hot relish, you can get so much here, which is why so many people keep coming back for more.

It’s not just hot dogs and lobster rolls! The family also opened an ice cream parlor off the dining room where they've been scooping ice cream for almost three decades.

From Hamden to Ireland, there’s a special museum located in Haden that is dedicated to Ireland’s past

Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum in Hamden offers a look back at a dark time in history.

"Nobody has ever explained to the younger children what happened over there, I didn't know about it until we were older,” said Joan Connor.

The artwork takes you back to a period in time that started in 1845 and lasted several years, when an estimated 1 million people died of hunger in that country.

"As we got older, I remember once my mother telling me how her mother would tell her that they would see the bodies where their mouths were green from trying to eat grass to keep them and the children alive,” said Grace Weeks.

"The look on that face right there is really something. It's powerful and that's what we see with a lot of our artwork, it provokes an emotional response, whether it's anger, whether it's confusion, we see people walk out of here in tears constantly,” said Ryan Mahoney, executive director.

Ryan Mahoney is the executive director of the museum at Quinnipiac University, where they collect and preserve artifacts from a period of time that many know very little about.

"It's the largest collection of famine-related artwork in the world which is an amazing testament to the dedication that the university has had with this, they've been collecting for over 20 years,” said Mahoney.

The six-year old museum is there because of a former Quinnipiac University board member who provided the seed money and decided these stories needed to be told and tied to modern day issues of famine and government inaction.

"This is a one of a kind collection that you're not going to find anywhere else and we're lucky to have it right here in Connecticut,” said Mahoney.

The museum is open to the public and the current exhibit ends on St. Patrick's Day.

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